By Sophie Stanley, Gundog Rescue & Rehoming
From Rescued Dog To Rescue Dog
C
harlie’s journey started with us much like many other of our rescues. He was an unwanted pet springer, with bundles of energy (just how we like them)! During the first lockdown (March 2020) the mother of the Corbett twins, Christopher and Mackenzie, approached Gundog Rescue & Rehoming to ask if we had something suitable for the boys to train during lockdown. The Corbett twins had shot to fame when with their Dad they won the GR&RH Estate Challenge at the Irish Game Fair in 2019 after both competing with credit against adults in the spaniel and retriever tests at the Fair. They were the perfect trainers and Charlie was the perfect project! He was given to them with the remit to train as a search dog, not a gun dog. The twins spent their entire lockdown devoted to Charlie’s training. After the boy’s hard work Charlie was sent for a trial with An Garda in Dublin, but was found a little too immature for the work he was needed to do. But the twins were not afraid of a challenge and took Charlie back and worked on the guidelines given by the Garda dog team. But unfortunately, Charlie had missed his chance of an intake with the Garda, so came back to us at GDR&R just after Christmas. After Charlie’s return, we saw a massive change in him, he showed us huge energy and enthusiasm and we thought this would suit a more active working search role and that he would be wasted as a pet. We then decided to contact the K9 Search and Rescue Team of Northern Ireland, to explain the training he had undergone and that he had trialled for the Garda. It wasn’t long before the the NI Rescue Team called with us at GDR&R for a chat and an initial assessment of
The NI Rescue Team meeting Charlie at Gundog Rescue & Rehoming Headquarters
Some dry land training gets underway Irish Country Sports and Country Life Spring/Summer 2021
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